1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the controlling of appliances and the like such as a microwave oven and more particularly a commercial microwave oven as opposed to a domestic microwave oven for household use which includes essentially one machine function having a cycle of operation associated therewith.
Generally speaking, the means and method for controlling the operation of an appliance as further described herein includes a central control element such as a microprocessor or microcomputer having stored therein an instruction repertoire for operation of the appliance and a plurality of selectable indices of fixed periods for the cycle of operation of the machine function, a plurality of patch cords each corresponding to various time periods which may be added to a selected index of fixed periods to provide a plurality of variable time periods for the cycle of operation, and a plurality of momentarily operable devices some of which correspond to the fixed periods of a selected index of fixed periods and some of which correspond to variably programmed periods for selecting either a fixed period or a variably programmed period for the cycle of operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various control systems for controlling the operation of appliances and the like which have replaced the conventional electromechanical type timing apparatus are well known in the appliance art. In fact it is known that such control systems have employed microprocessors, microcomputers, or dedicated chips as the central control element to centrally control various system operations. This fact is particularly well known in the microwave oven art. However, one of the major problems heretofore experienced has been the inability to manufacture a single versatile control system which could be utilized in a plurality of appliances or models of a particular appliance because of the inability to easily change the time periods which may be selected for a particular cycle of operation for a particular appliance application. For example, one appliance manufacturer may desire that the control system provide time periods over a specific range of time periods and might further desire a number of peculiar time periods for the cycle which are not within such range of time periods and another appliance manufacturer may desire that the control system provide time periods over another completely different range of time periods and completely different peculiar time periods in addition, which are necessary for his particular appliance.
Heretofore, even with the use of a microprocessor or microcomputer, to provide control systems which would satisfy the needs of both of the above described appliance manufacturers would require a new entry of data and/or reprogramming of the microprocessor or microcomputer of the control system for each appliance manufacturer or for each appliance manufactured by a single manufacturer where the time periods associated with its cycle of operation are dissimilar. The problems enumerated above have left the control system manufacturer with a number of control systems each having their own peculiar range of time periods associated therewith for the operation of an appliance thereby increasing the cost and time associated with the manufacture of the control systems.
As will become apparent from the disclosure provided herein, the control system of the present invention solves these and other problems associated with the conventional control systems for controlling the operation of appliances.